Continuing with our series on the deadliest tornadoes in United States history.
6. The family of tornadoes that tore a 221 mile path of terror across northern Texas, Oklahoma and all the way into Kansas on April 9, 1947 ranks as the sixth deadliest in U.S. history. The F5 tornado derailed a Santa Fe freight train at White Deer, Texas. It left only one building standing in the town of Glazier, Texas. Twenty four people were killed at Higgins, Texas. By the time one of the tornadoes approached Woodward, Oklahoma, it had swelled to over two miles in width. The air in the small town was heavy as concerned residents looked to the southwest at a fearful cloud racing toward them. Just before the tornado arrived, the town was plunged into inky blackness. One third of the town was wiped off the face of the earth. 116 people died in Woodward alone. A total of 181 were killed along the path of the tornadoes.
5. On April 6, 1936, morning newspapers carried headlines of unbelievable devastation from a tornado the night before at Tupelo, Mississippi. Even as rescuers were sifting through the destruction from the previous day, trouble was brewing in northern Georgia. A tornado touched down briefly on the edge of Gainesville, Georgia about 8:27 a.m. About ten minutes later, two funnels reportedly merged into one on the western side of town. The resultant massive funnel plowed through the heart of the city, laying a four block wide area to waste. Nearly every building in the path was destroyed. 750 homes were swept away. The one ton bell from the courthouse was blown 350 yards. A total of 203 people were killed in the disaster.
4. The next deadliest tornado is the one that occurred the night before the Gainesville tornado. It was a Sunday night in the northeast Mississippi town of Tupelo. The tornado touched down at 8:55 p.m. in the western suburb of Tupelo and carved a 400 yard wide path through the city’s residential district. The total path length was only twenty miles, but 216 people were killed and over 700 were injured.
6. The family of tornadoes that tore a 221 mile path of terror across northern Texas, Oklahoma and all the way into Kansas on April 9, 1947 ranks as the sixth deadliest in U.S. history. The F5 tornado derailed a Santa Fe freight train at White Deer, Texas. It left only one building standing in the town of Glazier, Texas. Twenty four people were killed at Higgins, Texas. By the time one of the tornadoes approached Woodward, Oklahoma, it had swelled to over two miles in width. The air in the small town was heavy as concerned residents looked to the southwest at a fearful cloud racing toward them. Just before the tornado arrived, the town was plunged into inky blackness. One third of the town was wiped off the face of the earth. 116 people died in Woodward alone. A total of 181 were killed along the path of the tornadoes.
5. On April 6, 1936, morning newspapers carried headlines of unbelievable devastation from a tornado the night before at Tupelo, Mississippi. Even as rescuers were sifting through the destruction from the previous day, trouble was brewing in northern Georgia. A tornado touched down briefly on the edge of Gainesville, Georgia about 8:27 a.m. About ten minutes later, two funnels reportedly merged into one on the western side of town. The resultant massive funnel plowed through the heart of the city, laying a four block wide area to waste. Nearly every building in the path was destroyed. 750 homes were swept away. The one ton bell from the courthouse was blown 350 yards. A total of 203 people were killed in the disaster.
4. The next deadliest tornado is the one that occurred the night before the Gainesville tornado. It was a Sunday night in the northeast Mississippi town of Tupelo. The tornado touched down at 8:55 p.m. in the western suburb of Tupelo and carved a 400 yard wide path through the city’s residential district. The total path length was only twenty miles, but 216 people were killed and over 700 were injured.
on January 14, 2006, 10:05 pm
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